Meatloaf - Los Angeles,CA

Sounds like you overworked the meat. Mix all the ingredients except the meat first. Add the meat last, and just mix til combined. Also, don't cook it in a loaf pan. Shape it like a loaf and cook it on a sheet pan with sides, or better yet, a broiler pan, it will drain off extra grease.

There are a dozen meatloaf recipes on here. Enter meatloaf in the search box and you can try a different recipe everyday for the rest of the year.

With 2 egss, you would need a lot of bread crumbs or oats. You can use rice also.

You might have over kneaded the meat or you had too much filler (too many bread crumbs) and not enough meat.
You mix up everything but the meat first and add the meat last then mix it just enough to blend it.
For a first try - not bad!
Meatloaf is one of those dishes that gets better the more you practice making it.
You try variations and other recipes and tweak it to your liking till you find the perfect one for you.

If you used stale bread (as many people do) and over-soaked it in milk, that can cause it. You have to squeeze out the excess. Also, the fat content of the ground beef makes a difference. Higher fat content means add less moisture from other sources. A very low fat beef (or turkey or whatever you are using) means you have to add more things like soaked crumbs, onions with their juice, ketchup/tomato puree, or even spicy items like horseradish. It will help if you post your proportions in your "So What Happened".

Sounds like just a little too much liquid, adjust it down a bit next time.

Not knowing exactly what recipe you used, it's hard to say where you went wrong.
My recipe is very simple and turns out great every time.
I don't measure, so I can't give you exact amounts of ingredients.

Ground beef - amount varies depending on fat content - extra lean, I use about a pound; chuck, I use closer to two pounds because so much is lost when fat cooks out
If I have ground venison, I mix it half and half with ground chuck.
Chopped onions
Minced garlic
1 or 2 eggs
Bread chunks (I freeze the heels from loaves of bread and use them for meatloaf)
Tony Chachere's
Worchestershire sauce

Loosely mix ingredients using your hands. DO NOT OVER-HANDLE! Too much handling will make the meatloaf tough.
Press into a loaf pan.
Bake at 375 until top is browned.

Note: I do NOT put ketchup or a tomato based sauce on my meatloaf. I pour off drippings as it cooks so that it isn't swimming in grease and use them to make a brown gravy.

Sounds like you added too much milk, and maybe overworked the meat as well.

I would need to see your recipe to know. I'm not sure what you mean by creamy. Maybe the beef was finely ground, or you used too much liquid. I like to add oatmeal to my meatloaf instead of breadcrumbs.

To me bread crumbs turn slimy/greasy/gooey when used in meatloaf and that's why I've used cracker for the most part. I have also used oatmeal and like it okay too but it did slightly change the taste.

I used the Cottage Meatloaf recipe I got online a long time ago. It's a sweeter sauce and I like that. I also like the mustard flavor in it.

If the meatloaf was too compressed then it was overworked. When you add the ingredients one by one you can mush up the meet too much.

I find that if I combine the ingredients in the bowl then add the meat and work it a couple of minutes at most I like the results better.

I'd like to know what type of bread crumbs you used? Sometimes those finely ground up crumbs that come in the can just can't absorb enough of the fat and liquid in the recipe. Panko crumbs or fresh bread crumbs that have been left out to stale a little or slightly toasted might work better.

Also, what type of ground beef did you use (73%, 80%, 85%, etc)? That also makes a difference.

needs oatmeal.
khairete
S.

For your recipe, use more breadcrumbs & less ketchup.
Also, I bake mine for a minimum of 1 hour (should help it solidify a bit
better).
Also, maybe use less Worcestershire sauce (just sprinkle through for
taste/flavoring).

just use less liquid, kind of test it out as you go along. Some people use oatmeal. I actually never used bread crumbs until my husband started to. Some put milk in it. And if you want it already pre flavored use an onion soup mix. Add peppers, or top it with bacon. Always fun to be creative!

Creamy meatloaf? That's anew O.!
If the mix seems to moist, add more crumbs.
If it seems too dry, add more liquid.
I also put some green peppers and celery in mine.
And fresh parsley.

I think the quaker oatmeal recipe is the best!

Get some veggies in there. Lots of onions, chopped/grated carrots, celery, and other veggies you might like.

I would skip the bread crumbs. I've never used them in meatloaf. I only put a layer of ketchup on top of the meatloaf, not in it, and it bakes into a yummy sweet topping.

I always have to cook it longer - otherwise it has that weird texture you're describing.

I also only use extra lean beef (or at least lean) because it's it regular beef, that can really up the fat content and make it less dry.

I put the ketchup (and add dry mustard to it - tastes really good) on TOP as others have suggested. This adds the sauce to the top (instead of inside - wetting it further).

You can add veggies, etc. Would give it texture.

THis is my go-to meatloaf recipe. I omit the water and use half BBQ and half ketchup instead of all BBQ. It's amazing.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/easy-pleasing-meatloa...